Friday, January 29, 2010

1.1845] ‘Quoth the raven, nevermore’: Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” is published for the first time in the New York Evening Mirror (1/29)…2. 1933] Debuted on this date: “The Lone Ranger” airs the first of 2,956 episodes, ending in 1955 and beyond that in films and specials (1/30)…3.1936] Going to Hall: The Baseball Hall of Fame holds its first induction. Elected are: Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson (1/29)…4.1962] High-flying tragedy: Two members of the ‘Flying Wallendas’ high-wire act are killed when their 7-person pyramid collapses during a performance in Detroit (1/30). In 1978 family patriarch Karl Wallenda falls to his death in Puerto Rico. Here’s an old clip of the family rehearsing…5.1964] Premiered on this date: Stanley Kubrick’s “Dr. Strangelove (or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb)” starring Peter Sellers, opens nationally (1/29)…6.1990] Guilty as charged: Joseph Hazelwood, former Exxon Valdez skipper, goes on trial in Anchorage (AK) for his role in America’s worst oil spill. He will be acquitted of all charges except for a misdemeanor (1/29)…7.1995] A Super Bowl 1st: The San Francisco 49ers become the first team in the NFL to win 5 Super Bowls by beating San Diego 49-26 behind Steve Young’s 6 touchdown passes, which breaks Joe Montana’s previous record of 5 (1/29)…8.1999] Going to Hall: Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor is elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot (1/30)…9.2000] Off his rocker: Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker is suspended by baseball commissioner Bud Selig for his disparaging racial remarks, mostly about the straphangers on the no. 7 to Shea Stadium. His statements appear in Sports Illustrated (1/31)…10.2006] Wounded anchor: ABC ‘World News Tonight’ co-anchor Bob Woodruff and a cameraman are seriously injured in a roadside bombing in Iraq (1/29)…For more on January 29 - 31, 2010:http://melphillipsnowandthen.com

Thursday, January 28, 2010

1.1878] One ringy dingy: The first telephone switchboard is installed in New Haven (CT). Can’t you just see Lily Tomlin answering that first phone call?…2.1915] On Guard: The modern version of the U.S. Coast Guard is created by an act of Congress…3.1916] Mazel: Louis D. Brandeis is appointed to the Supreme Court, becoming the first Jewish judge on the panel in June when his appointment is confirmed…4.1921] Duh Bearssss: The Decatur (IL) franchise of the NFL moves to Chicago and takes the name, the Chicago Bearsssss…5.1953] TV Mugging: J. Fred Muggs, a chimp, joins NBC-TV’s “Today Show”…6.1958] The end of a Hall of Fame career: Brooklyn Dodger 3-time MVP catcher, Roy Campanella is paralyzed below the waist when his car overturns on an icy road in Glen Cove (LI). Campy will never play again and is inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969…7.1959] Invinceable: Vince Lombardi is named coach of the Green Bay Packers and a legend is born. Lombardi will win 5 titles in his 9 years in Green Bay…8.1973] Premiered on this date: “Barnaby Jones” starring Buddy Ebsen debuts. It will run until the fall of 1980…1978] “Fantasy Island” starring Ricardo Montalban and Herve Villechaize debuts on ABC-TV and goes into syndication in 1984 until life as we know it ends…9.1986] Liftoff disaster: Millions of people around the world watch as the Challenger Seven explodes taking the lives of seven astronauts: Smith, Scobee, Resnik, McNair, Onizuka, Jarvis and McAulife…10.2001] Super Bowled: Ray Lewis leads the Baltimore Ravens to a 34-7 thrashing of the Giants in SBXXXV…For more on January 28:

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

1.1880] Got a light?: Thomas Edison patents the electric incandescent lamp…2.1926] Radio with pictures: John Logie Baird, a Scottish inventor, demonstrates a pictorial transmission machine called television…3.1927] Networking: United Independent Broadcasters, Inc. starts a radio network of 16 stations. The company will later be renamed the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)…4.1948] Wired: The Wire Recording Corporation of America announces the first magnetic tape recorder. The “Wireway” with a built-in oscillator sells for $149.50. Here’s a Webster wire recorder in action…5.1951] Dropping A bomb: Atomic testing begins in the Nevada desert when an Air Force plane drops a one-kiloton bomb on Frenchman Flats…6.1967] Death on the pad: A flash fire aboard Apollo I during a test kills astronauts Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom, Edward H. White and Roger B. Chaffee…7.1981] Welcome back: Ronald Reagan welcomes the 52 former Iranian hostages to the White House. The story of the crisis is told in this clip…8.1991] A super performance: Whitney Houston sings the definitive version of our national anthem at Super Bowl XXV and Scott “wide right” Norwood becomes famous for missing a field goal that would have won it for Buffalo. Instead, the Giants win 20-19…9.1998] A right-wing conspiracy: First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton blames a “vast right-wing conspiracy” on her husband’s (Monica) personal (Lewinsky) problems on “The Today Show”…10.2004] The winner and not champion: John Kerry wins the New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary. Here, Kerry gives his concession speech…For more on January 27:

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

1.1784] Take a letter Maria: Benjamin Franklin sends his daughter a letter expressing his unhappiness over the eagle being selected over the turkey as the symbol of America. But Ben, we can’t eat our national symbol every Thanksgiving…2.1934] Showtime at the Apollo: The Apollo Theater re-opens in a new location - Harlem on 125th Street and 7th Avenue. It’s still there…3.1960] The new commish: Pete Rozelle, 33-year old GM of the Los Angeles Rams succeeds Bert Bell as NFL Commissioner…4.1979] “Happy Trails”: Former Vice President and New York Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller dies of a heart attack at 70. At first report he was alone in his office but it was later determined that he was at home in the presence of his 25-year old female aide who had a Daily News reporter friend call 911 an hour after he had died leading to speculation about the cause of the heart attack (you do the math)…1983] Legendary football coach Bear Bryant dies of a heart attack at 69 just 41 days after his retirement…5.1979] Put your dukes up: “The Dukes of Hazzard” premieres and will run until the summer of ‘85 on CBS-TV…6.1984] A hunk-a, hunk-a, burning love: Michael Jackson’s hair catches on fire while filming a Pepsi commercial…7.1996] Whitewater rafting: First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton testifies before a grand jury connected to the Whitewater probe…8.1998] Who’s that lady?: Bill Clinton makes his famous, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky” speech…9.1999] Crash landings: The NTSB concludes that John Denver’s 1997 fatal light-plane crash was caused by too little fuel in the tank at takeoff…2003] Billy Joel is hospitalized after crashing his car into a tree in Sag Harbor. The NTSB concludes that a bottle of wine is the cause of the crash…10.2009] Octomom: Nadya Suleman gives birth to octuplets. The 6 male and 2 female children were conceived via in-vitro fertilization. All survive...

Monday, January 25, 2010

1.1915] Can you hear me now?: In New York, Alexander Graham Bell speaks to an assistant in San Francisco inaugurating the first transcontinental phone service. Long distance is born…2.1947] “Happy Trails”: Public enemy number one, Al Capone, dies at 48 of cardiac arrest possibly associated with third-stage syphilis…1997] Astrologer Jeane Dixon passes away from cardiopulmonary arrest at 93…3.1959] The Jet Age takes off: American Airlines opens the jet age in the U.S. with the first scheduled transcontinental flight of a Boeing 707…4.1961] Live from the White House: President John F. Kennedy holds the first presidential news conference carried live on radio and TV…5.1971] Gotcha: Charles Manson and three female followers are convicted of murder and conspiracy in the 1969 slayings of seven people, including actress Sharon Tate…6.1988] And in this corner: VP George Bush and Dan Rather face off on “The CBS Evening News” as the anchorman attempts to question the Republican presidential candidate about his role in the Iran-Contra affair…7.1993] CIA shooting: A gunman shoots and kills two CIA employees outside agency headquarters in Virginia. Aimal Khan Kasi, a Pakistani man is later convicted and executed in 2002…8.1994] Settlement: Michael Jackson settles a child molestation lawsuit against him…9.1995] Marcia, Marcia, Marcia: The defense gives its opening statement in the O.J. Simpson trial, saying Simpson was the victim of a “rush to judgment” by authorities…10.2007] Edsel channeling: The Ford Motor Company says its lost a staggering $12.7 billion in 2006, the worst loss in the company’s 103-year history - even worse than the Edsel…For more on January 25:

Friday, January 22, 2010

1.1848] Solid Gold: James W. Marshall discovers a gold nugget at Sutter’s Mill in Northern California (1/24). This discovery leads to the gold rush of ‘49…2.1957] Guilty as charged: George Metesky aka ‘The Mad Bomber’ is arrested in Waterbury (CT) and accused of planting more than 30 explosive devices over a 15-year period in the New York Metropolitan area. Deemed insane, Metesky will be assigned to a state institution until being released in 1973 when he returns home to Waterbury and lives until the age of 90 (1/22)…1998] Theodore Kaczynski aka ‘The Unabomber’ pleads guilty in return for a life sentence without parole. His specialty was mail bombs (1/22)…3.1968] Sock it to me: “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” debuts on NBC-TV (1/22)…4.1971] Boogity, boogity: In basketball, UCLA loses to Notre Dame (1/23) and then wins 88 games in a row. The streak ends with a loss to ??? Correct - Notre Dame…5.1973] Supes Rule: Roe v. Wade is born, legalizing abortion after the Supreme Court strikes down state laws prohibiting abortion. You can be sure this will be an issue that won’t ever be put to rest (1/22)…6.1977] Rootin’ tootin’: “Roots” debuts as a mini-series and almost half of the country watches the final 2-hour episode when 100 million viewers are on hand. 85% of all TV homes saw all or part of the previous 7-episodes (1/23)…7.1984] Superbowl Sunday: Barry Manilow sings the national anthem and then the Los Angeles Raiduhs rip the Washington Redskins 38-9 in Super Bowl XVIII (1/22)…1989] Joe Montana leads the 49ers on an 11-play, 92-yard touchdown drive with 43 seconds remaining to lift San Francisco to a 20-16 win over Cincinnati in Super Bowl XXIII. It’s the third title for SF (1/22)…8.1989] Electric avenue: Confessed serial killer Ted Bundy is put to death in Florida’s electric chair for the 1978 kidnapping and killing of Kimberly Leach (1/24)…9.1994] Krafty buy: New England businessman Robert Kraft buys the Patriots for $172 million. During his tenure as owner the Pats have won 3 Super Bowls. When he bought the Patriots they had a losing record (1/24)…10.2008] ‘Happy Trails’: Australian actor Heath Ledger dies of an accidental medication overdose at 28 (1/22)…For more on January 22 - 24:

Thursday, January 21, 2010

1.1946] Debuted on this date: “The Fat Man” debuts on ABC Radio and will run for 4 years. Although it will be made into a film, the detective series never makes it on TV…1957] Patsy Cline appears on ‘Arthur Godfrey’s’ nighttime TV show singing “Walking After Midnight“...2.1954] The Cooz: Celtic’s great Bob Cousy steals the show in one of the most exciting NBA All-Star games in history, scoring 10 of the East team’s 14 points in OT and then icing the game with his signature dribbling in a 98-93 win...3.1959] Gunned down: Carl Switzer aka Alfalfa from ‘Our Gang’ is fatally shot in Northern California over a $50 debt he was owed. The murder is ruled ‘justifiable homicide’. Alfalfa was just 31…4.1966] Wedding Bells: George Harrison and Patty Boyd aka ‘Layla’ rock down the aisle... The couple will divorce in 1977 when Patty takes Eric Clapton as her next husband…5.1977] I beg your pardon: Jimmy Carter pardons almost all Vietnam War draft evaders…6.1979] Super Bowl Sunday: Terry Bradshaw’s 4 touchdown passes leads Pittsburgh to its third Super Bowl win, a 35-31 victory over Dallas in SB XIII. Bradshaw will win 4 Super Bowls for the Steelers…7.1984] ‘Happy Trails’: Jackie Wilson dies at 49 after being in a coma for 8 years, suffering a heart attack on stage, September 25, 1975 while singing this song…1998] Jack Lord of “Hawaii Five-O” dies from congestive heart failure in Honolulu at 77…8.1991] Captured in the desert: CBS correspondent Bob Simon is captured by Iraqis in the Persian Gulf. He’s imprisoned for 40 days before being released…9.1994] First cut is the deepest: A jury in Manassas (VA) acquits Lorena Bobbitt by reason of insanity for her ’slice and dice’ of husband John’s private parts...10.2004] So sue me: The recording industry sues 532 computer users for illegally distributing songs on the Internet…For more on January 21:

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

1.1892] Jump it up: The first official basketball game is played at a YMCA court in Springfield (MA). The game is played using peach baskets with 9 players on each side. The game is invented by Dr. James Naismith, a phys-ed teacher at Springfield College…1968] In one of college basketball’s classic match-ups, Elvin Hayes and Lew Alcindor face off as #2 ranked Houston beats #1 UCLA 71-69. Hayes scores 39 for the winning Cougars…2.1961] This I Swear: John F. Kennedy is sworn in as our 35th president…1989] George H.W. Bush becomes our 41st president…1993] Bill Clinton becomes #42…2001] George W. Bush becomes #43…2009] Barack Obama is sworn in as #44…3.1961] “D-I-V-O-R-C-E”: Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller. They were married in June, 1956…4.1965] “Happy Trails“: Fans mourn the death of Alan Freed who passes away from uremic poisoning at 43…1993] Audrey Hepburn dies from abdominal cancer at 63…2003] Caricaturist Al Hirschfeld dies in his sleep at 99…5.1981] Free at last: Iran releases 52 American hostages held for 444 days. This happens minutes after Ronald Reagan is sworn in…6.1985] Soopuh: The 49ers beat Miami 38-16 in Super Bowl XIX. President Ronald Reagan congratulates San Francisco coach Bill Walsh. For the first time TV commercials sell for a million a minute...7.1986] Observed: The U.S. observes the first federal holiday in honor of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr…8.1987] Kidnapped: Anglican Church envoy Terry Waite disappears in Beirut while attempting to negotiate the release of western hostages. He will be released in 1991…9.2008] We are the champions: The New York Giants and New England Patriots win their conference championships setting up a Patriots-Giants Super Bowl…10.2009] Presidential history is made: Barack Obama becomes the first African-American U.S. president, the country’s 44th…For more on January 20:

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

1.1949] A raise to six figures: The president’s salary is increased from $75,000 to $100,000 with an additional $50,000 expense allowance for each year…2.1952] Signed, sealed and delivered: The NFL buys the New York Yanks, then awards the franchise to a group in Dallas. The Dallas Texans will then be awarded to Baltimore in 1953 to form the Colts. Are you following all this? There will be a test…3.1953] Splain it to me Lucy: A whopping 68% of all TV sets are tuned to “I Love Lucy” as Lucy Ricardo gives birth to a baby boy…4.1957] Who hit the mute button?: Ernie Kovacs does a half-hour TV show without saying one word. Here’s the close of one of Ernie’s shows…5.1972] Going to Hall: Sandy Koufax, Yogi Berra and Early Wynn are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame…6.1974] Irish wake: Notre Dame stops UCLA’s remarkable 88-game winning streak 71-70. The Irish move up in the polls from 2 to 1, replacing the Bruins. It marks the first time UCLA is not #1 since the 1968 NCAA Championship Tournament…7.1998] “Happy Trails“: The legendary Carl Perkins dies at 65 from complications caused by several strokes…2006] Wilson Pickett, 64, passes away after suffering a heart attack…2008] Actress Suzanne Pleshette, 70, dies from lung cancer…2008] John Stewart, 68, of The Kingston Trio, suffers a massive and fatal stroke…8.2000] Guilty as charged: Robert F. Kennedy nephew, Michael Skakel surrenders to Greenwich (CT) police to face charges in the 1975 death of neighbor Martha Moxley. He will be convicted and is serving time in prison…9.2002] Last call for alcohol: Schaefer Stadium hosts its final Patriots game. New England beats Oakland 16-13 in overtime in an AFC Divisional Playoff game, played in a snowstorm. The game features the infamous “tuck” rule used to protect QB Tom Brady. An Adam Vinatieri field goal wins it…10.2004] Wacked out: John Kerry wins Iowa’s Democratic presidential caucus and Howard Dean who finishes third, delivers his famous, fist-pumping, over-the-top speech that will bury him as a serious candidate…For more on January 19:http://melphillipsnowandthen.com

Monday, January 18, 2010

1.1911] Aircraft landing: The first landing of an aircraft on a ship takes place when pilot Eugene B. Ely lands on the deck of the USS Pennsylvania in San Francisco harbor. Ely was trying to land at the airport but is eventually forgiven for overshooting the runway…2.1948] Round & round she goes: The precursor of “American Idol”, “The Original Amateur Hour”, hosted by Ted Mack moves from radio to television where it runs until 1960. Gladys Knight appeared on the show at the age of 7…3.1967] Gotcha: Albert DeSalvo aka the “Boston Strangler” is convicted in Cambridge of armed robbery, assault and sex offenses…4.1976] Super Sunday: The Pittsburgh Steelers win their second consecutive Super Bowl on the last play in an exciting 21-17 win over Dallas. Here’s a clip of the game…5.1982] Thorpe reinstated: The International Olympic Committee approves reinstatement of Jim Thorpe’s Olympic titles. The titles were stripped because Thorpe was considered a professional athlete when he won the medals in 1912…6.1990] Barry bust: Washington, D.C. Mayor Marion Barry is arrested for drug possession in an FBI sting. Barry is later convicted of a misdemeanor but his drug problems didn’t end there…7.1991] Eastern goes south: Financially strapped Eastern Airlines shuts down after 62 years in business…8.1993] All the way with MLK: The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday is observed in all 50 states for the first time…9.1998] Drudgery: The Drudge Report breaks the Monica Lewinsky scandal story…10.2005] The flying hotel: The world’s largest commercial jet, an Airbus A380 that can carry 800 passengers, is unveiled in Toulouse, France…For more on January 18:

Friday, January 15, 2010

1.1844] Cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame: The University of Notre Dame receives its charter from the state of Indiana (1/15)…2.1892] Basketball rules: The official rules of basketball are published for the first time in Springfield (MA) where the game is invented (1/15)…3.1950] On the brink: A million and a quarter in cash and over $1.5 million in checks, money orders and securities is stolen in the Great Brink’s Robbery from the Brinks Building in Boston (1/17)…4.1964] Premiered on this date: “Hello Dolly” starring Carol Channing opens at the St. James Theatre on Broadway (1/16)…1974] “Jaws” by Peter Benchley is published and quickly becomes a best seller with plans in the works for a movie (1/16)…1976] “The Donny & Marie Show” starts a 3-year run with “A little bit Country, A little bit Rock & Roll” (1/16)…5.1967] Super Sunday: The Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10 in what will eventually be called Super Bowl I. Back then it was called the NFL Championship Game (1/15)…6.1973] Curtains: “Bonanza” airs its last episode (1/16). It debuted on September 12, 1959...7.1974] Debuted on this date: “Happy Days” on ABC-TV. The highly rated show will run until July of 1984 and spawn the spin off, ‘Laverne and Shirley’ in January, 1976 (1/15)…8.1988] Jimmy the Geek: CBS-TV fires Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder one day after his racial comment that during slavery, “blacks had been bred to produce stronger offspring” (1/16). His comments got worse…9.1994] Quake, quake: The Northridge (CA) earthquake rocks Los Angeles, registering a 6.7 on the Richter Scale. At least 61 are killed with damage estimated at $20 billion (1/17)…1995] A magnitude 7.2 earthquake devastates the city of Kobe, Japan (1/17). More than 6,000 are killed…10.2009] Captain America: Thanks to the heroic efforts of Capt. Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger, 57, and his co-pilot, 155 lives are saved as U.S. Airways Flight 1549 lands safely in New York City’s Hudson River (1/15)…For more on January 15 - 17:

Thursday, January 14, 2010

1.1882] Doctor my eyes: The Myopia Hunt Club in Winchester (MA) becomes the first country club. The founders were actually near-sighted or myopic. The club eventually moves to Hamilton (MA)…2.1952] Debuted on this date: “The Today Show” on NBC-TV with Dave Garroway and Jack Lescoulie...1972] “Sanford and Son” starring Redd Foxx on NBC-TV. The show runs until September 2, 1977 before going into syndication…3.1954] Wedding Bells: Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe marry at San Francisco City Hall. Marilyn will charge ‘mental cruelty’ in October and the couple will divorce…2004] J.P. Morgan Chase strikes a deal to buy Bank One for $58 billion. The deal becomes official on July 1, 2004…4.1963] Color blind: George C. Wallace vows “segregation forever” as he’s sworn in as Governor of Alabama. Eventually Wallace drops his racial discrimination stance…5.1970] I am I said: The first “Human Be-in” is held, where else? San Francisco. Golden Gate Park is the scene. Far-out, man…6.1993] Musical networks: David Letterman announces that he’s leaving NBC for CBS-TV. Before he leaves he interrupts the Today Show…7.1998] Circular filed: Whitewater prosecutors begin questioning Hillary Rodham Clinton about the gathering of FBI files on past Republican political appointees…8.1998] Band aid money: NBC agrees to pay Warner Brothers a record $13 million per episode to retain the top-rated TV show, “ER”...9.2001] Super Sunday here we come: The Giants gain their third trip to a Super Bowl by beating Minnesota for the NFC crown but they lose the SB to Baltimore...10.2004] To the moon, Alice: George W. Bush unveils a plan to send astronauts to the moon, Mars and beyond to a galaxy billions and billions of light years away…For more on January 14:

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

1.1957] Birth of the Frisbee: Wham-O begins producing “Pluto Platters”. You might know them better as Frisbees…2.1962] “Happy Trails“: Brilliant TV comic Ernie Kovacs dies in a car crash at 43…1978] Former Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey dies from terminal cancer at 66… 3.1966] Stork sighting: Elizabeth Montgomery’s character Samantha on “Bewitched” gives birth to Tabitha...4.1979] Mysterious Death: Singer Donny Hathaway dies after either jumping or falling from the 15th floor of a Manhattan hotel. Hathaway was just 34…5.1982] This is a joke?: An Air Florida 737 crashes into Washington, D.C.’s 14th Street Bridge in a blinding snowstorm. The plane goes down in the Potomac River killing 78. Howard Stern gets fired when asking, on the air, when the next flight was scheduled to arrive at the 14th Street Bridge…6.1982] Going to Hall: Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson are elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Congratulations to Andre Dawson, elected last week...7.1989] Guilty as charged: Subway vigilante Bernhard H. Goetz is sentenced to one year in prison for gun possession but is freed the following September…8.1990] This I swear: L. Douglas Wilder takes office as the nation’s first elected black governor (Virginia)…9.2000] Musical Chairs: Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates steps aside as chief executive and promotes president Steve Ballmer to the position…10.2003] Busted: Pete Townshend of The Who is arrested on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children, which he denies. He will later be cleared of those charges…For more on January 13:

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

1.1949] Debuted on this date: “Arthur Godfrey and His Friends” on CBS-TV. It will run 10 seasons on the network...1965] “Hullabaloo” on NBC-TV. Runs from January 12, 1965 to August 29, 1966…1966] “Batman” on ABC-TV. The original series runs 2 seasons…1971] The Archie Bunker era begins as “All in the Family” debuts on CBS-TV. The show morphs into ‘Archie Bunker’s Place’ in 1979 and spawns “The Jeffersons“…1981] “Dynasty“, inspired by “Dallas” starts an 8-year run on ABC-TV…2.1958] Deuces are wild: The NCAA adopts the two-point conversion option after touchdowns. The AFL started using this when it began in 1960, the NFL followed in 1994…3.1967] Frozen stiff: Dr. James Bedford becomes the first person to be cryonically preserved with intent of future resuscitation…4.1969] Guaranteed: Joe Namath’s guarantee holds up when the Jets shock the NFL with their upset win over the Baltimore Colts to win Super Bowl III in the Orange Bowl...5.1971] Harrisburg Six: The Reverend Philip Berrigan and five others are indicted on charges of conspiring to kidnap Henry Kissinger and of plotting to blow up the heating tunnels of federal buildings in Washington, D.C. The brothers Berrigan were quite the pair of activists…6.1976] ‘Happy Trails’: Mystery writer Agatha Christie dies from natural causes at 85…2003] Following emergency abdominal surgery, Maurice Gibb dies from cardiac arrest at 53…7.1995] Gotcha: Malcolm X’s daughter Qubilah Shabazz is arrested for conspiring to kill Louis Farrakhan…8.1998] On tap: Linda Tripp provides Kenneth Starr’s office with taped conversations between herself and Monica Lewinsky about you-know-who…9.2004] QM 2 sails: The world’s largest ocean liner, RMS Queen Mary 2, makes its maiden voyage. The QM2 sails into San Francisco…10.2005] Guilty as charged: Britain’s Prince Harry apologizes after a newspaper publishes a photo of the young royal wearing a Nazi uniform to a costume party. Somewhere a beautiful princess is spinning as she did when the Prince did it again with his “Paki” and “Raghead” comments…For more on January 12:

Monday, January 11, 2010

1.1935] Getting her wings: Amelia Earhart is the first woman to fly solo from Hawaii to California…2.1949] It never rains in California, it just snows: The first recorded case of snowfall in Los Angeles…3.1964] You’ve been warned: U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry issues the first government report saying smoking may be hazardous to your health…4.1970] Super Sunday: Hank Stram’s Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl IV with a 23-7 victory over Minnesota…1981] The Oakland Raiduhs become the first Wild Card team to win the Super Bowl with a win over Philadelphia…5.1973] DH rules: Owners of Amercian League baseball teams vote to adopt the designated-hitter rule. It’s interesting to note that Edgar Martinez, the best DH ever, barely got mentioned even though he’s Hall of Fame eligible…6.2000] Going to Hall: Carlton Fisk who caught for the Red Sox for 11 seasons and the White Sox for 13, is elected to the Hall of Fame with Tony Perez of the Reds…7.2007] Bend it like Beckham: English soccer star David Beckham signs a five-year deal to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy…8.2007] Wild about Harry: JK Rowling completes the 7th Harry Potter novel: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’…9.2008] No Jones for Marion: Former Olympic track gold medalist Marion Jones is sentenced to 6 months in prison for lying about taking performance-enhancing drugs and her role in a check-fraud scam…10.2008] Conquerer conquered: Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to conquer Mount Everest passes away at 88…For more on January 11:

Friday, January 8, 2010

1.1903] SOLD to the highest bidder: New York businessman Frank Farrell and Bill Devery buy the Baltimore Orioles franchise of the American League for $18,000 and move the team to upper Manhattan where the team finishes 4th as the Highlanders. In 1913 the team is renamed the Yankees (1/9)…2.1922] Birth of a station: KQV Pittsburgh is licensed and launched and I am proud to be one of the former program directors of the legendary station (1/9)…3.1956] Premiered on this date: Abigail Van Buren’s ‘Dear Abby’ first appears in newspapers (1/9)…1959] “Rawhide” starring Clint Eastwood joins about 30 westerns during the ‘59-’60 TV season (1/9)…4.1972] One big floating grill: The Queen Elizabeth ocean liner is destroyed by fire in Hong Kong Harbor (1/9). Here’s the QE in happier times…5.1982] The Catch: Joe Montana hits Dwight Clark in the end zone for “The Catch” that gives the San Francisco 49ers a 28-27 comeback win over Dallas and puts them in the Super Bowl against Cincinnati the following week (1/10)…6.1982] Ring my bell: American Telephone & Telegraph settles the Justice Department’s antitrust lawsuit against it by agreeing to divest itself of the 22 Bell System companies. They were broken into ‘baby’ Bell’s (1/8)…7.1989] Going to Hall: Carl Yastrzemski and Johnny Bench are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame (1/9)…8.1994] Guilty as charged: Tonya Harding wins the U.S. Lady’s Figure Skating Championship in Detroit but is stripped of the title for involvement in the Nancy Kerrigan knee bashing (1/8)…1998] Ramzi Yousef is sentenced to life without parole for his role in masterminding the first WTC bombing in New York. Yousef is now making license plates in a Colorado maximum security prison (1/8)…9.2003] Curtains: Thomas D. Mottola is out at SONY Records after 14 years at the helm (1/10). One voluptuous singer with a five-octave range throws a party…2005] CBS issues a damning independent review of mistakes relating to a “60 Minutes Wednesday” report of President Bush’s National Guard service. Three news executives and a producer are fired for their “myopic zeal” in rushing it to air. One myopic network news anchor starts backing up the truck to his office (1/10)…10.2008] New Jersey apologizes for being New Jersey: The Garden State officially apologizes for slavery, becoming the first Northern state to do so (1/8) Here’s a clip of famous people from New Jersey…For more on January 8 - January 10:http://melphillipsnowandthen.com/

Thursday, January 7, 2010

1.1896] Debuted on this date: The first “Fannie Farmer Cookbook” is published…1927] The first transatlantic phone service begins between London (”London Calling“) and New York. 31 calls are made on the first day…1927] The Harlem Globetrotters play their first game in Hinckley (IL). Gee, I wonder who won??? 1929] The “Buck Rogers” comic strip runs in newspapers starting out as “Buck Rogers 2429 AD” but will change to “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century“…1967] “The Newlywed Game” debuts with host Bob Eubanks on ABC-TV…2.1926] Wedding Bells: George Burns and Gracie Allen say “I Do.” George starts singing songs no one has ever heard and closes the ceremony by saying “Good Night Gracie.” …3.1953] Dropping a bomb: President Harry S. Truman announces the development of the H-bomb…4.1959] Recognizing the bearded one: The U.S. recognizes the new Fidel Castro government in Cuba…5.1980] “GERONIMOhhhhhhh“: Jimmy Carter signs legislation authorizing $1.5 billion to bail out Chrysler. Has a familiar ring to it, doesn’t it???6.1992] A landslide election: Tom Seaver of the Mets is elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame with the highest (98.8%) percentage of votes in history. Seaver won 311 games. Rob and I were at his 300th win at Yankee Stadium in 1985 against the Yankees (Seaver was a member of the White Sox then)…7.1996] Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow: One of the biggest blizzards in U.S. history blankets the east with more than 100 deaths reported. David Letterman has a captive audience that night…8.1998] Impeachy: Monica Lewinsky signs an affidavit denying a sexual affair with Bill Clinton. On the same date in 1999 Clinton goes on trial before the Senate facing impeachment. Monica would later apologize to the Clintons on 20/20…9.2005] “D-I-V-O-R-C-E“: Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston separate after 4 years of marriage. ‘Bradgelina’ becomes part of the Hollywood vocabulary…10.2006] DeLay of game: Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX) steps down as House majority leader as he faces corruption charges. He resigns from Congress in June, 2006…For more on January 7:

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

1.1759] Wedding Bells: George Washington marries Martha Dandridge Custis and instead of cutting into a wedding cake, it’s a cherry pie baked by the new bride…1945] Future President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Pierce tie the knot in Rye (NY)…2.1936] Debuted on this date: Porky Pig debuts in the WB cartoon “Gold Diggers of ‘49“. One year later Mel Blanc starts voicing Porky, Bugs, Daffy, Sylvester and Tweety…1975] “Wheel of Fortune” debuts on NBC-TV with Chuck Woolery hosting…3.1942] Clipper landing: The Pan American Airways Pacific Clipper arrives in New York after making the first round-the-world trip by a commercial airliner…4.1982] Freeway of death: Truck driver William G. Bonin is convicted in Los Angeles of being the “freeway killer” who had murdered 14 young men and boys. Boldin will be executed in 1996…5.1987] What’s the word? Thunderbird!: After a 29-year lapse, the Ford Thunderbird is presented with the Motor Trend Car of the Year Award. It’s the first repeat winner of the award…6.1993] “Happy Trails“: Ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev succumbs to AIDS at 54…1993] Jazz great Dizzy Gillespie is a victim of pancreatic cancer at 75…7.1994] “Why? Why?”: Jeff Gillooly goon Shane Stant makes a pinata out of glamour skater Nancy Kerrigan’s leg. Olympic skating rival Tonya Harding sets the whole thing up and is banned from competition. Gillooly and the late Stant do time for the crime…8.1999] Impeachment set: The 106th U.S. Congress opens with impeachment proceedings of President Bill Clinton as the first item on its agenda. The trial is set for January 7th…9.2001] Congress certification: With the recently defeated Al Gore presiding, Congress certifies George W. Bush the winner of the 2000 presidential election…10.2005] KKK leader turns in his white hood: Former Ku Klux Klan leader Edgar Ray Killen is arrested 41 years after three civil rights workers were slain in Mississippi. Killen is later convicted of manslaughter. Killen appeals but his punishment of 3 times 20 years in prison is upheld by the Mississippi Supreme Court in January, 2007…For more on January 6:

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

1.1896] A radiant discovery: Austrian Wilhelm Rontgen discovers the type of radiation that becomes known as the X-Ray. The public scoffs saying they can see right through this ruse…2.1940] “One, one, one“: The first test of FM radio is heard by the FCC. It will be one year before radios with FM capability will give the public new static free signals…3.1948] Stop and smell the roses: Warner Brothers-Pathe shows the first color newsreel which contains the Tournament of Roses Parade and highlights of the Rose Bowl Game. In the game Michigan crushed USC 49-0…4.1957] Curtains: Jackie Robinson retires rather than play for the crosstown Giants, a team he was traded to by the Brooklyn Dodgers…5.1972] Outta Space: President Richard Nixon orders development of the space shuttle…6.1981] Ripper zipped: Police in England arrest Peter Sutcliffe, a truck driver later convicted of the “Yorkshire Ripper” murders of 13 women…7.1993] Hang 'em high: The state of Washington executes Westley Allan Dodd, an admitted child sex killer in America’s first legal hanging since 1965…8.1994] ‘Happy Trails’: Former House Speaker Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill dies from colon cancer at 81…1998] Sonny Bono, pop-star turned politician is killed when he crashes into a tree while skiing in South Lake Tahoe (CA) at 62…9.2000] Ellll-e-uhnnnn: INS Commissioner Doris Meissner rules that 6-year old Elian Gonzalez “belongs with his father” and must be returned to Cuba. Any day now Elian will be elected president of Cuba…10.2004] I’m Confessin’: After 14 years of denials, Pete Rose publicly admits that he bet on baseball while manager of the Cincinnati Reds. The world is not shocked by this admission…For more on January 5:

Monday, January 4, 2010

1.1885] Scalpel!: Dr. William Grant performs the first successful appendectomy on Mary Gartside, only to discover that her gall bladder was supposed to be removed…2.1951]Seoulful: North Korean and Communist Chinese forces capture the city of Seoul during the Korean War…3.1965] A great society: President Lyndon B. Johnson outlines the goals of his “Great Society” in his State of the Union Address…4.1965] ‘Happy Trails’: Poet T.S. Eliot dies at age 76…5.1974] Tapes, what tapes?: President Richard Nixon refuses to hand over tape recordings and documents subpoenaed by the Senate Watergate Committee…6.1990] Suspect jumps: Charles Stuart, who claimed that a gunman killed his pregnant wife, leaps to his death after he becomes a suspect…7.1995] Eye of Newt: Newt Gingrich is elected speaker of the Republican-held House…8.1999] This I swear: Former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura is sworn in as governor of Minnesota. Ventura, Frankin, you see a pattern here???9.2006] Stroked: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffers a stroke and his powers are transferred to his deputy Ehud Olmert…10. 2007] I am woman hear me roar: Nancy Pelosi is the first female elected to the post of Speaker of the House. Somewhere, Tip O’Neill gets stinking rotten drunk…For more on January 4:http://melphillipsnowandthen.com

About Me

Mel Phillips Now & Then is more Now. The Then always follows the Now. Prior to starting 'Remembers' in 2005 and 'Now & Then' on April 7, 2008 I enjoyed a multi-media career which included being one of the Bill Drake program directors. I was involved in the programming of such legendary stations as WOR-FM, WXLO-FM, WNBC, WRKO AM & FM and KQV. I was also General Manager of Hooper Radio, played disc jockey in markets such as Tampa, Nashville, Norfolk and Atlantic City and enjoyed marketing success in syndicated radio for several companies including ABC, MJI and United Stations. My background also includes the music business where I promoted such diverse CBS acts as The Clash, Gloria Estefan, Loverboy, Judas Priest, George Michael & Julio Iglesias. In Special Programming at WCBS-FM I wrote and produced numerous specials and interviewed some of the biggest recording stars. In addition to this post I'm a regular contributor to Radio Daily News. My wife Diane and I reside on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and I'm very proud of my children, Robert Phillips, Lynn Phillips Brough and granddaughters Allyson and Amy...